Elucidating the neural mechanism to generate the partial awareness by large-scaled neuron network analysis and circuit manipulation techniques in non-human primates

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26221003
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (S)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Neurophysiology / General neuroscience
• Research Institution: Kyoto University (2016-2018); National Institute for Physiological Sciences (2014-2015)
• Principal Investigator: ISA Tadashi 京都大学, 医学研究科, 教授 (20212805)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 小林 憲太 生理学研究所, 行動・代謝分子解析センター, 准教授 (70315662) ; 吉田 正俊 生理学研究所, システム脳科学研究領域, 助教 (30370133)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-05-30 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 神経回路 / 意識 / 盲視 / 霊長類 / 皮質脳波

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we used the macaque monkeys with unilateral V1 lesion as an animal model of blindsight, and clarified (1) that visual awareness was actually impaired by showing the reduction in sensitivity of object detection, (2) that the “retina - superior colliculus - pulvinar and lateral geniculate nucleus - extrastriate visual cortices - parietal cortex” pathway underlies blindsight, and (3) that complex cognitive functions are maintained, and (4) neural correlates of the “partial awareness” could be detected in the frontal association cortex.

Free Research Field

神経生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

「無意識の視覚―運動変換」として長年議論されてきた「盲視」の神経機構のほぼ全容を明らかにしたことは学術的意義が大きい。そこには損傷後の大規模な神経回路の可塑性が関わっていることも明らかになり、このことは今後「皮質盲」のメカニズムと対処を考える上での指針を与えるものとして社会的意義も大きい。